Cooker.



A. JOHNSON.

COOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6, 19H.

A. JOHNSON. COOKH.

APPLlcATloN man MAR. 6. 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z r l l l\ 4 NVENTOR.

VL.' 'ATTORNEY'.

A.1oHNs0N. 1

IEEIII'I COOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6| I9I7.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'Il fllllllllj/ 9 e INVE TOR. BY 2225;

` To all whom t may concern:

. handling .a large'numberg of cans at one i Specication ofl Letters Patent.

. Applicativi; mea irar'ck'h 6,1191'7. serial No. 152,490.

Be it known that I, Axnr. J oHNsorg, a citi zen of the United' States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have'inventedcertain 'new and useful the following is a specification. l

The resent invention relates to'a cooker for givmg the final` cookto cannedl food ma. yterials. I A

The object of the invention is to provide a cooker of large capacity which .is capable of time an in which the cans are advancedginja tortuous .path from the inletvto the outlet with the -least'pos'sible expenditure of ensite length of ltime for the cook. The

ergy. A further object of the invention is to' rovide a simple. feed and discharge 'valve orfeedin the cans into the cooker and discharging .t e same therefrom with the -least possible loss of heat from within the cooker.'

In order to comprehend the invention, reference should be had to theaccmpanying .sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1, `is a plan view of my rcooker. Fig- 2, is. a sectional elevation of the same taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 vand viewed in the direction of the arrows. l .Fig. 31s a transverse section,venlarged',

taken in the direction of the arrows'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar section, enlarged, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an .elevational detail of the advance bar -drive mechanism shown at the right of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 isa part sectional transverse elevation, enlarged of the valve drive mechanism. Fig. 7 is a' section taken inthe 'direction of the arrows on the line 7-7 .of Fig. 6.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates vthe cooker tank, comprising a 4relatively 'long rectangular inclosure, preferably Vformed -of a plurality: of sections united together" by adjacent anges 2,'

formed at the ends thereof. By this construction, the cooker tank may be made any desired length by the employment of addi.-

tional sections in order tno-provide the requitank 1 is shown'in Fig. -2 of the'drawings as supported near one end by-ajixed memberl 3, and near the' other end bypan adjustable leveling post 4. v At one end, he 1 Figi of the draw- Improvements in Cooker s,"of

ings, terminates in a casting 5'; having a ver- 'i tically disposed rectangular valve-way 6 valve 7, Figs. 1,6 and '7 v-of the drawings,

which operatesto control the4 admission and discharge of the cans in amanner to be presentlyfdescribed., The tank 1, as herewith illustrated, is provided with lineally disposedrun-ways for the cans, there being four -ofv said run-ways in the width ofA the tank 'and four in theheight thereof, each vertical stack of four superposed run-ways formingv al single path for the advance of the cams thereupon. As shown in. Fig. 3 of the' draw` therein with whichis a vertically slidable I' ings, the cam run-ways are formed by means of-flanges 8a, 8", 8\cv 'and 8,-1upon which the` cans 9, in a horizontal position, are adapted to roll, said run-ways being suitably supported by the iside walls of the tank 1 and by vinterior lmeally disposed Vwalls 10.A The j four run-ways, each comprising )the anges 8a, 8", 8, and 8, areidentlcal in construction and operation, there being four cans' admitf ted'.to themachine simultaneously and four simultaneously discharged' therefrom. Thev following description'therefore will be con- A fined to one .run-way, comprising the .vertical u lbank. ofA four superposed tracks, it being understood thatsuch description applies equally to the other run-ways.

kPosltioncd-l between the -lower pair of tracks 8a and 8", and slightly to one side thereof., is a lineally disposed rod 11, Figs. 3, 4 and of the drawings, and a similar rod 11 is similarly disposedwith respect to the upper. pair of can tracks 8=and8d.

rods, 11 and 11', which.are mounted within pockets 11m in the tank wall, extend the entire length of the cooker tank, projecting from the rear end Ithereof through suitable -packing' glands 11,.as shown inFig. 2, and are mountedffor both lineal sliding movement and .rotary "oscillating movement,

The rods 11 and 11 are provided with a ioo`- plurality'ofspacedflaterallyextending can engaging dogs12 and 12 respectively, Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

spective carrying rodsl 11 and 11', they are caused. to engage either the cans 9a and 9c in the first and third'l tracks 8a and 8 re- Said dogs areso l' formed,- that, by the oscillation'of l.their re-V spectively, 'or the cans 9 "and 91 in.- the..

second and fourth tracks 8"-and 8l respec tively; and said dogs arespaed upon their 1:10 .carrying rods by a distance equal t o or -v'ery slightly greater than the diameter'of --the cans. Therefore, as -shown in Fig. of the" ings, thel dogs 12 and 1.2 occupy their lower positions andv l engage' the cans 9 and 9, ying in the run-ways'8 and 8 respectively,

v and by the forward movement of said rods,

that is, toward the left, as shown in Fig. 2, the .dogs'12 and 12 occupy .their upper positions and engage the cans 9 and 9 upon the run-ways 8b and 8* respectively. vThus, the cans in the first and third tracks are advanced one step, that is, -thehdiameterof fone can, by the rearward movement of the rods 11 and 11', and the cans in the .second andA fourth tracks are advanced one step in the opposite direction by the forwardV movement of said rods.

At'the ends of the can tracks, the cans are elevated and transferred from one track to the track next above, by means of A transfer wheels 13, 13" and 13, Fig. 2 of the drawings. Said wheels, as 'shown in .Fig.` 4 of the drawings, comprise spaced disks mounted upon transversely disposed rotatable shafts 14, 14b and 14, the shaft v 14 appearing in Figs. 2 and 7 only.,v Said shafts are suitably'journaled in the sides of the cooker tank and are preferably provided with packing glands 15.v to prevent the escape of steam and water through said journals, as shown in Fig. 4. The transfer wheels 13, 13b and 13, are formed with pockets' 16, 16" and 16 respectively, in their peripheries, said pockets'being adapted to -engage the cans 9, 9 and 9 respectively as.

the vsameare successively carried to the ends of their respective tracks, and to, elevate lsaid cans' within suitably .formed guide chambers 17, 17" and 17, and to deposit said cans upon the respective upper tracks 8b 8 and 8d.

respectively, so that when the cans .are forced over said -elevations by the last dogs 12 and 12', saidcans roll by gravity into the guidel chambers 17,, 17h and 17, and

I are readily picked up by thepockets of the- 'transfer wheels. It is understood that said transfer wheels make .one -revolution for every complete stroke of the rods 11 and 11.

As shown in Fig.2of the drawings, the Vtransfer wheel 13bfand its associated guide `cylinders 17b are positioned entirely within the "cooker body, and between the first and The tracks 8, 8" and 8 terinmate in slight 'elevations 18, '18 and 18 last can tracks 8"L and l81; the dogs 12 and 12' l to prevent interference with said transfer wheel and guide cylinder.

The cans are fed intothe cooker from a feed chute or trough 20, Figs. 1, 2 and 7 of the drawings, it being understood that said cans are placed'in said trough, four abreast,`

by any suitable means, not shown 1n the drawings. The floor vof the feed trough 20 is downwardly in clined toward the valve chamber 6, as shown inFigs.. 2 and 7, and terminates 'at an aperture, or more properly at four adjacent apertures, 21 in the forward wall of said valve chamber 6. 'The valve 7 immediately adjacent said transfer wheel v 13" are therefore out off on their upper lower sides respectively, as shown at 19,-

comprises a fiat plate occupying the entire Y .chamber 6, and extending the entire width of the tank. Said valve 1s formed near its lower end withan inclined aperture 22 positioned in lateral alinement with each feed aperture 21 in the front wall of said cham? ber, and is vertically- .movable within its chamber, as before stated; and when said valve `is at the lower limit of 'its movement the apertures 22 therein are in vertical aline-- ment with the feed apertures 21,.so that in this position of the valve the lowermost cans withln the feed'trough roll by gravity into the apertures 22 in said valve, one` of Ysaid cans being shown at 9 in Fig. 7. The width of the valve 7 is only slightly greater than the diameter of the can"9, so that but Vone can can enter each aperture 22 upon each stroke ofthe valve. Upon the upward movement of said valve 7, the apertures 22 therein are' brought into registry with the interior of the cooker tank 1, as shown in Fig. 2, and the cans 9 roll by gravity out of saidA apertures 22 and onto the lower tracks 8, Where t they are engaged by! the first dogs 12of the lower advance rods 11. l

The valve 7 is also provided with 'a series of .four transversely alined apertures 23 inclined oppositely to the apertures 22, and positioned in the upper portion of said valve. vAt the lower limit of the movement .of said valve, said apertures 23 are in vertical alinement-with'the upper can tracks 8,

pushed -into said aperture by the end-.most dogs 12', one of said cans belng shown at-9t in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The valve 7 is then raised, the inclination of the aperture 2 3 holding Vthe cansA 9t therewithirn, and vat the upper limit ofthe movement of said valve, vthe apertures 23 come into registry.

with apertures 23, Figs.' 2 and 7, formed in the forward Wall of the valve chamber 6, and leading into a cooling tank 25. Inf:

this vposition of the'valve, the can 9 rolls' by gravity out of the aperture 23 in said valve and into the coolingtank 25, as shown in Fig. 2. A pipe connection'26 is shown in and the end-mostcans upon said tracks areK said Fig. 2 for supplying waterto said cooling tank. p

The tank 1 of thecooker, is understood to f. contain either water or steanz( at a relatively Ahigh temperature, the degree of temperature depending on the character of the food to be cooked. In they drawings I have shown the tank as containing a small quantity of water 27, Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawingsfthe remainder ofthe tank/being preferably filled with steam at high lpressure. Pipe connections 28 and 29 are shown in F igs. 2 and 3 for lsupplying steam and water to the tank.

It is to be noted that the valve 7 is approximately steamtight, the only steam or water which can escape therethrough being that which fills the apertures 22 and 23; the water which escapes inI the aperture 22 will lie within the lower portion of the feed trough 20, as shown in Fig. 7, and the steam which escapes in thev aperture 23 passes out through the cooling tank 25. -A

The various parts of the'machine are operated by a drive shaft 30, Figs.v Land 2 of the drawings, positioned transversely above the valve 7, and carrying upon one end a pulley 31, and adjacent thereto, a gear-pinion 32; and a similar gear pinion 33 is carried upon the opposite end of said shaft. The pinions 32 and 33 mesh with gears 34 and 35 respectively, carried upon short transverse shafts 36 and 37 respectively,

one .of-which is shown in Fig. 6 of the.

drawings. Said shafts 36 and 37 are suitably journaled at 38 in the posts or brackets 39 which support the drive shaft 30, and carry upon their inner ends crank disks 40. A crank pin 41 extends between said disks and has journaled upon it connccting rods 42, whose lower ends are pivotally connected at 43 with the valve member 7, so that by the rotation of said shafts 36l the valve 7 is raised and lowered. The gear 34 has formed upon` it connecting rods 42, whose lower ends are pivotally connected at 43-with the valve member 7, so that by the rotation of said shafts 36 the valve 7 is raised and lowered. The gear 34 has formed upon its hub a bevel gear 44, Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, which meshes with a similar bevel gear 45 carried upon the end of a lineal inclined shaft 46 Figs. 1, 2 and 7.

.Said shaft extends to the rear end of the machine and .carries upon its end a bevel pinion 47, Figs. 1 and 2, adapted to mesh with a similarl pinion 48 carried upon one end of the upper transfer wheel shaft 14C. Saidshaft 14"` at its opposite end lcarries a spur gear 49, Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings, which drives, through an idler gear 50. a similar gfar 51 mounted upon the end of the lower transfer wheel shaft 14, s0 that said transfer shafts, 14a and 14c are rotated in the same direction4 and in unison. The transfer wheel shaft 14", at the forward end one end, as shown Ain Figs. 2 and 6 of the' drawings,'which meshes with a similar gear 53 carried upon the lower end of an inclined upwardly extending shaft 54, whose upper end carries a bevel gear 55, the latter meshing with a similar gear 56 mounted upon the lineal inclined shaft 46 `near the forward end thereof. A bracket57 supports the forward end of said shaft 46 and the upper end of said Shaft 54.

The transfer wheel shafts 14a and 14c carry at each end cam members 58 and 58 respectively, Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, and extending laterally from the faces of sald cam members are crank pins 59 and 59. Connecting rods 60.- and 60 connect said crank pins with transverse bars 61 and 61 respectively, within whichthe lineal can advancing rods 11 and 11 are rotatably mounted, the lower rods 11 being secured 4to the lower bar 61. and the upper rods 11 being secured to the upper bar 61. Said rods 11 and 11 are provided with adjustable collars 62 and 62 lying upon either side of the bars 61 and 61 respectively, so that said rods are moved by the fore and aft movement of said bars 61 and 61. the latter being moved by the cranks58 and 58. The rods 11 and 11 are provided .with elongatedy pinions 63 and 63', Figs. 2 and 5of the drawings, with which transversely disposed rack bars 64 and 64 are adapted to mesh. Said I vrack bars are carried by bell-cranks 65 and 65', the upper pair 65 being shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and the lower pair being similarly mounted. Said bell-cranks carry upon their other arms cam rollers 66 and 66 which follow the cams 58 and 58', so that said rack bars 64 and 64 are given a transv erse reciprocating motion at the proper tlmes in the lineal reciprocating movement of the rods 'll and 11. By this mechanism,

the rods 11 and 11 are oscillated at each end of their lineal movement to bring the dogs 12 and 12 into engagement with the proper line of cans, as previously described.

The operation of the machine may be briefiy summarized as follows: y

Cans are placed in the .feed trough 20 in a horizontal position,l four abreast, by any suitable means, not illustrated. and roll by gravity down the inclined floor of said trough and are stopped y by the valve 7.v

ing rods 11, and are successively advanced,

. moving one step by step, latlng movement of said rods, along the lower tracks 8, as shown at V9, Figs. 2 and 7 At the rear end of said lower tracksS,

.the guide. chamber 17 b, and 'are engaged and elevated by the transfer wheels 13", and deposited upon the third tracks 8. The cans, now numbered 9c, are engaged by the upper dogs l2 and are moved rearwardly along said third tracks 8, step by step', by the successive rearward strokes of the upper rods 11', andare carried at the ends of said tracks into the guide chamber 17. The transfer wheels -13 then engage said cans and elevate the same on to the fourth tracks 8, along which said cans, now numbered 8d, are successively advanced by the successive forward movements of the upper dogs 12. At the forward end of said fourth tracks 8d, the cans are placed wlthm the upper ports 23 of the valve 7, Fig. 7 of y j the drawings.

Said valve then moves upwardly and the cans now designated as 9 roll out of said ports 23, as shown in Flg. 7, and into the cooler 25, from which they may be removed in any manner, not lshown in the drawings. It is understood, that the drive mechanism is so designed and proportioned that the various movlng parts of the machine are operated in the proper tlme .relation.-`

The invention has been hereinbefore de.

scribed and is herewith illustrated in its preferred form. I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in this regard however, for the reason that many changes of form and construction may be made in the de-` vice without departing from the spirit of .the

l invention. On the contrary, it-is my wish to be understood as claiming the invention as broadly as the state of the art willpermit..

Having thus described my invention what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is 1. A cooker comprising a tank, means for feeding cans thereto and discharging the same therefrom, a track within said tank for conveying said canstherethrough, a rod mounted parallel to said track and adapted for lineal reciprocating'movement and angular oscillating movement, a series of spaced dogs projecting laterally from said rod, and mechanism for reciprocating and oscillating said rod to canse said dogs to engage the cans and to move the same forby the reciprocating and oscil-A ward along said vtrack in a series of successive step movements.

`2. A cooker comprising a tank, means for feeding cans thereto and discharging the same therefrom, a track withinmsaidtank for conveying the cans therethrough, a ,movable rod positioned parallel to said track, a serles of `spaced dogs extending laterally from said rod, and mechanisml for reciproeating said rod lineally and for oscillating the same angularly to cause said dogs to engage said cans upon the lineal ymovement of said rod in one direction only.'

3. A cooker comprising a tank, a plurality of superposed horizontal parallel tracks adapted-to guide a can through said tank, means for feeding a can to thebeginning of the lowermost track, means for discharging said can from the end of the upper# I most track, mechanism movable into opera tive relation with one of said tracks and -I then with the other of said tracks for advancing said can along said respective tracks by a series of lineally successive step movements, and devices for transferring saidL can from the end of each track to the beginning of the track neXt above.

4. A cooker comprising a tank, a plurality of superposed horizontal tracks adapted to form a continuous path for conveying a can through said tank, means for vfeeding the can to the beginning of said tracks and discharging the same from the end thereof,

mechanism common to adjacent superimposed tracksA and capable of alternate cooperative movement into operative relation with the respective adjacent superimposed tracks for engaging and advancing said can alongsaid tracks by a series of lineally successive vstep ymovements, and devices for transferrin said can from one to the other of said trars.

5. A cooker` comprising a tank, a horizontal track within said tank adapted to direct a can, a second horizontal track positioned above said first track, means for feeding-a can to one end of said first track, devices for transferring said can from the other end of said first track to said second track, reciprocating mechanism common to both of said tracks and capable of alternate coperative movement into operative relation with the respective tracks for advancing said can by a series of successive step movements in one direction along the first track and in an opposite direction along the second track and means for discharging said can from the second track.

6. A cooker comprising altank, a pair of parallel horizontal tracks therewithin adapted to direct a can through said tank, means for feeding a can to one end of one of said tracks, devices for transferring said can from the other Aend of said track to the other track, lineally and laterally reciprocating two tracks.

mechanism common to both of said tracks and capable of alternate coperative move-- successive step movements and means v for l l discharging saidcan fromthe second track.

7. A cooker comprising a tank, a pair of parallel tracks-therewithin adapted to direct a can, devices for transferring a can from one of the other of said tracks, and reciprocating mechanism common to both of said tracks and capable of alternate coperative movement into operative relation with the cans on the respective tracks for advancing said can by a series of successive step movements in one direction upon one track and in an opposite direction upon the other of said tracks.

8. A cooker comprising a tank, a pair of parallel tracks therewithin adapted to direct a vseries of cans, means forfeedng cans successively to one track and discharging the same from the other track, devices for transferring the cans successively from the first to the second track, a plurality of interconnected movable dogs associated with said tracks, and mechanism for reciprocating said dogs lineally and transversely with respect to said tracks to cause the same to alternately engage and advance the cans upon said two tracks. y

9. A cooker comprising a tank, a pair of parallel tracks therewithin adapted to direct a series of cans, means for feeding said cans successively to one of said tracks and removin the same from the other track, devices or transferring said cans from one to the other of said tracks, a lineally disposed rod common to both of said tracks, a series of spaced laterally extending dogs carried by said rod, and mechanism for oscillating said rod to cause `said dogs to Valternately engagev the cans upon the two tracks'and for lineally reciprocating said rod to alternately advance said cans upon said 10. A cooker comprising a tank, a

Asively to said tracks and dischar p1u' rality of pairs of parallel trackswithin said tank adapted to' direct a series of cans there; through, means for` feeding cans succesthe same therefrom, a lineally dispo rod a'ssociated in operative relation with each pair of tracks, a series of spaced laterally projecting dogs carried by said rods, mecha'- nism for oscillating said rodsto cause said vdogs to alternately engage the cans upon the two tracks of each 4pair of tracks, 'mechav nism for lineally reciprocating said rods for causing said dogs to advancesaid cans alternately upon the two tracks ofeach pair of tracks, and devices for automatically trans-- ferring said cans between said tracks.

11. A cooker comprisin a tank having its interior formed into a p urality of superposed longitudinal run-ways, means for ad@ mitting steam into said tank, slide means controlling the admission of cans within the tank andthe discharge therefrom, a single reciprocating mechanism common to both of said-runways andcapable of alternate cooperative movement into operative relation with the cans on the respective runways for advancin the cans in opposite directions through t e superposed run-ways by a series of successive step movements, and rotatable means for transferring the cans successively from one to another of the said run-ways.

12. A cooker comprising a tank, a pair of parallel tracks therewithin adapted to di'- rect a can, rotatable means for transferring a can from one to the other of said tracks, slide means controlling the admission of cans into the tank and the discharge therefrom, and reciprocating mechanism intermediate of and common to both of said tracks for advancing said cans by a series of successive step movements in one direction upon one track and in an opposite directionup'on the other of said tracks.

In testimony whereof have signed myv name to this specification 1n the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y AXEL JOHNSON. Witnesses N. A. Amma,l D. lB. RICHARDS. 

